Former
alcoholics and drug abusers often report that they don't miss the substances
nearly as much as the conditions under which they were used--the camaraderie of
the true drinkers' bar, for example, where the standing joke is that the
straight world just doesn't get it, doesn't understand that the disease is life
and the treatment is another drink. The reason there is a fierce joy in ``Trainspotting'',
despite the appalling things that happen in it, is that it's basically about
friends in need.

NOTE: The below
Blu-ray
captures were ripped directly from the
Blu-ray
disc.

ADDITION: Alliance
Blu-ray
- March 2009 - This comparison remains somewhat unsatisfying despite its
enormous HTML size. While there is an obvious improvement in the
Alliance (Canada)
Blu-ray
it is still rather puny if actual file size at 15 Gig and we suspect
better may be coming. Leonard has reviewed the pricier (more than 3X the
price of this) Japanese
Blu-rayrelease
HERE but I don't know how it compares. There is also an upcoming
UK edition
HERE, but nothing scheduled for US release so
far.

Truthfully though this Alliance is
progressive (unlike some of their other offerings) and
doesn't look too bad at all - less green than the
Universal PAL and MiraMax DVDs and most visual
attributes are easily superior. As with the other Canuck
Blu-rays (From
Dusk Till Dawn,
Good Will Hunting,
Cold Mountain etc.) this is single-layered and
doesn't appear to be digitally manipulated (no
edge-enhancement or DNR visible). It even exhibits some
occasional depth. The DTS-HD is pretty good at over 3500
kpbs with an unexpected amount of range and aggression.
It is really bare-bones though without even a menu - you
pop it in and the film starts up - which can be somewhat
of a positive with no intrusive adverts or 15 minutes of
previews. I'd kinda like to reject this for something
better - but I can't at this point and the price is
excellent - especially with the Canadian dollar so low.
$17.95 CAD = $14.2684 USD
and this may be enticement enough for those who own
supplements from the other packages to indulge. This
certainly won't end up being the definitive but it will
probably remain pretty solid value for what you are
getting.

****

ADDITION: PAL Definitive Edition
- January - 2005 - The Miramax (Director's Cut) and the Universal PAL
Definitive Edition are almost exact in image quality - both coming from
the same transfer. The menus are the same and the extras very close (see
Enrique's comments below). The Miramax offers and optional French DUB
but the same 5.1 and DTS as well as the same superb high bitrate.
Differences are in the extras and are very minor ex. still exclusive to the UK edition are an insert with liner notes by
Irvine Welsh and a poster.
I suggest buying the cheapest unless one extra option has personal
interest for you.

*****

The Canadian DVD has 2
small edits found on the US editions;
(locations on the new Collector's Edition)
27:17 Kelly MacDonald touching herself while atop Ewan McGregor
46:09 Close-up of the needle entering McGregor's arm

The US Criterion laserdisc, old US DVD and current US DVD are all the
uncut version with the original English / Scottish audio track.

The US Collector's Edition is a port of UK Definitive Edition, notice
the term is even retained on the disc menus along with the orange menu
style.
Reading reviews of the UK Edition allows us to account for most of the
features making into the US edition, sans an option during playback of
the feature movie that would show a scissor icon and would allow the
viewer to break away and view the cut scenes (much like the "white
rabbit" feature in The Matrix), also left across the pond was an
Easter Egg that allowed viewers to read the articles mentioned in Danny
Boyle's main interview on disc 2.

Fortunately the key Easter Egg made its way over, on disc 2 back at the
interview menu screen, toggle right to highlight the upward pointing
arrow in the bottom right hand corner. Press up on the remote and you
will then see an interview with director Danny Boyle, producer Andre
Macdonald and screen writer John Hodge, talking about Irvine Welsh's
sequel novel 'Porno' and their hopes of making it with the original
Trainspotting cast.

Still exclusive to the UK edition are an insert with liner notes by
Irvine Welsh and a poster.

The US and UK DVD's now exceed the old Criterion laserdisc. In fact some
of the bonus material is an actual carryover, the commentary track
during the movie and deleted scenes first appeared on the laserdisc as
well as the interview with Irvine Welsh. The Canadian interviews that are
intercut with the deleted scenes are not on the old laserdisc or on the
new DVD's, so there is some residual value to the old Canadian DVD. The
train sound effects on the Canadian DVD only work on some DVD players,
so is of marginal benefit.

CLICK EACH BLU-RAY
CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

Screen
Captures

1) Universal
(The Definitive Edition) - Region 2 - PAL TOP

2)

Alliance
(Can.) - Region 1 - NTSC - 2nd

3) Miramax - Region 1 - NTSC - 3rd

4) Miramax (CE) - Region 1 - NTSC -
4th

5) Alliance
(Can.) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

1) Universal
(The Definitive Edition) - Region 2 - PAL TOP

2)

Alliance
(Can.) - Region 1 - NTSC - 2nd

3) Miramax - Region 1 - NTSC - 3rd

4) Miramax (CE) - Region 1 - NTSC -
4th

5) Alliance
(Can.) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

1) Universal
(The Definitive Edition) - Region 2 - PAL TOP

2)

Alliance
(Can.) - Region 1 - NTSC - 2nd

3) Miramax - Region 1 - NTSC - 3rd

4) Miramax (CE) - Region 1 - NTSC -
4th

5) Alliance
(Can.) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

1) Universal
(The Definitive Edition) - Region 2 - PAL TOP

2)

Alliance
(Can.) - Region 1 - NTSC - 2nd

3) Miramax - Region 1 - NTSC - 3rd

4) Miramax (CE) - Region 1 - NTSC -
4th

5) Alliance
(Can.) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

1) Universal
(The Definitive Edition) - Region 2 - PAL TOP

2)

Alliance
(Can.) - Region 1 - NTSC - 2nd

3) Miramax - Region 1 - NTSC - 3rd

4) Miramax (CE) - Region 1 - NTSC -
4th

5) Alliance
(Can.) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

1) Universal
(The Definitive Edition) - Region 2 - PAL TOP

2)

Alliance
(Can.) - Region 1 - NTSC - 2nd

3) Miramax - Region 1 - NTSC - 3rd

4) Miramax (CE) - Region 1 - NTSC -
4th

5) Alliance
(Can.) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

More

Blu-ray Captures

CLICK
HERE to download a pdf scan of the insert sheet that came with
the Criterion laser-disc. There was a single page glossary
sheet that translated the
local slang into more typical terms. The Canadian DVD (Alliance) lists the glossary of terms as a feature, but it was never
included.

CLICK HERE for an archived link of the Irvine Welsh's liner notes for the Criterion LD that haven't made it onto the R1 edition.